Tinnitus?

Question:

I have bad tinnutis, can't sleep but 4-5 hrs. I am 75 years old and served in Korea in 1967 & 1968. This problem continues to worsen. I am enrolled in VA health care but the co-pay cost me more than medicare. My retirement is $2500 per month and my wife has a teacher retirement, both incomes equal to less than 70k per year. What might I qualify for from veterans health services other than the Class 8 that I am now?

 

Jim's Reply:

When we are made eligible for VA health care services we are assigned to a priority group. Your tinnitus rating of 10% (the max for tinnitus) places you at 8 on the priority list and sets certain minimums for copays for health care other than that provided for the tinnitus. A vet with a disability rating of 100% is in priority group 1 with no copays for anything and the scale slides down from there.
 

From what you tell me I'd offer that you should consider filing a claim for the secondary conditions you associate with your tinnitus. Tinnitus is ringing in the ears and most people have a degree of tinnitus that they may or may not ever notice. In some people the ringing is distracting at times but not a real bother unless associated with profound hearing loss when the tinnitus may mask already dulled sounds. 
 

There are those folks who have such a loud tinnitus that they have serious issues with concentration, communication and sleep. VA doesn't compensate tinnitus at more than 10% disabling so to increase your benefits and get you into a better priority group so your copays don't cost as much, you need to file for a higher disability rating.
 

I'd first suggest that you have your hearing tested again and see if you don't suffer a degree of hearing loss. Then you'll need a medical record of the things that you believe are attributable to your tinnitus. Sleep loss is a condition as is depression, anxiety, mood swings, anger, etc. Again, these are secondary conditions to tinnitus that can be rated as such but you need a record of treatment to prove these are things bothering you.
 

As you are able to, take a while to get your records in order and file the claims.
 

Good luck!